Understanding the structure and properties of geological formations can reduce the cost of drilling wells for oil and gas exploration. Measurements made in a borehole (i.e., downhole measurements) are typically performed to attain this understanding, to identify the composition and distribution of material that surrounds the measurement device downhole.
For example, portions of the formation or cement surrounding a borehole may be imaged using various forms of energy, including ultrasound, radio-frequency, and X-rays. With the elevated temperatures present in the downhole environment, the various devices used to obtain such images sometimes experience varying degrees of success.